Life begins at '40' for Leigh

Celtic striker aiming to hit milestone tonight

Celtic’s Leigh Griffiths and Callum McGregor launch the new club’s new kit as they prepare for tonight’s Premiership match against St
Johnstone

Leigh Griffiths is looking to reach the 40-goal mark when Celtic travel to St Johnstone in the Ladbrokes Premiership tonight.

The Hoops striker is in the form of his life with 39 goals in all competitions this season but has only 90 minutes to add to it as he will miss the last game of the season against Motherwell after going through the disciplinary points total.

Griffiths had several unsuccessful attempts on goal in Sunday's 3-2 win over Aberdeen which clinched the Parkhead club's fifth successive title and he is keen to end his domestic campaign, in which he has also picked up Celtic's and PFA Scotland's player of the year awards, on a further high.

"It has been a great season so far," said the 25-year-old Scotland international.

"I have only got one game left to hit that 40-goal mark and hopefully I do it on Wednesday night and then we can go for a nice weekend.

"The most important thing on Sunday was to get the job done and get the three points for the team.

"We managed to do that so the league is put to bed now, so hopefully I can grab that 40th on Wednesday.

"But I still want to help the team get three points. It is not just about me, the manager will stress that he wants six points from the last two games and if I can chip in with a goal or two I will be happy."

Griffiths is proud of his third title win at Celtic and is looking to add to it next season.

The former Dundee and Wolves player said: "It is big. We know that next season is going to be difficult but to get the five in a row goes down in the history books and hopefully we can make it six next year.

"The league table doesn't lie. We are 12 points ahead of Aberdeen and hopefully we can extend that.

"We want to finish the season on a high. We have two games left and we want six points.

"For the first 60 minutes on Sunday we were unplayable at times. The football we played was outstanding and Aberdeen couldn't cope with us in the end.

"Two lapses of concentration cost us two goals and at times we were on the back foot with Aberdeen pressing.

"But we still had chances to put the game to bed. We didn't do that but we got the three points in the end which is all that mattered."